Automatic control for electrical attachments



Feb. 4, 1930. R. K AUCH ET AL AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ELECTRICALATTACHMENTS Filed Aug. 2, 1926 INVENTOR 055, 27- K/qucr/ CHAQAiS L.P140106 BY ATTO ii a Patented Feb. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF???ROBERT KAUCH, OF CAMP NICHOLS PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND CHARLES L.IPA'UL'Q'S, OF DAYTON, OHIO AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ELECTRICAL ATTACHMENTSApplication filed August 2, 1926. Serial No. 126,638.

This invention. relates to an automatic control for electrical devicesand its salient object is to provide means for automatically openingaswitch after a predetermined period.

More specifically the object of the invention is to provide an auxiliarycircuit shunted across a main circuit and having a thermal member of adefinite expansion coefficient which member actuates means forautomatically opening a switch in the main circuit.

Another object of this invention is to provide means of certain andsimple operation for the above described purposes.

These and other objects will appear from the specification and drawingsin which Fig. l is a plan sectional view showing the control in aninoperative position.

Fig. 2 is the same view as Fig. 1, showing the control in an operativeposition, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the device enclosed and the calibratedregulator.

Referring more particularly to the drawinns, 1 represents an outerhousing of hard rubber, or other non-conducting material and is designedfor insertion of the flexible cord used to connect the attachment it isdesired to control, said cord being hereafter known as the main circuit.A switch or plunger 2 the central portion of which is made of conductingmaterial such as copper and the like is shown for this main circuit andwhen moved in the direction of the arrow 3 will close the circuit foroperation and the movement in the opposite direction will of coursebreak or open the circuit.

The plunger is held in position, open or closed, by a fiat spring; 4;having a d-shaped extension on the end thereof which engages with thepointed projection 5 on the plunger 2. ,lVhen the plunger is manuallymoved in the direction of the arrow 8 a main circuit will be closed bythe contact established between the point 6 on the plunger and contactscrew 7 mounted in the housing 1.

A ratchet wheel 8 is provided which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 9positioned between opposite sides of the outer housing 1. The ratchetwheel is moved in a clockwise direction by means of the movement iminFig. 1 is maintained in contactual relation with the ratchet teeth 12 ofthe ratchet 8 thru the medium of a resilient element 13 which yieldinglycontacts with the extension arm 10 integral with the core of theresistance coil 10. The ratchet wheel is held against counter clockwisemovement by the spring 14 bearing against the ratchet teeth. A rockerarm 15 is freely mounted on the shaft as 9 and held in the position asshown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 by a spring 16 which forms part of theauxiliary circuit. A pin 17 preferably of an insulated material mountedon the end of the expansible core of the resistance coil 10 extendsdownward between the arms of the forked end of the rocker lever 15. Theopening in the end of the lever is such as to allow clearance around thepin. The upper end of the lever is provided with a point 18 whichcontacts with a contact screw 19 when the core contracts.

The spring members 4., 13, 14C and 34 are in tegrally jointed andforming a unitary member 84. This unitary member is pro with an openingto receive plunger 2 a1 maintained in assembly and in trical tact withwire 33 by the co stair in ing of the members or arms the outwarddeflection of a ment with extension orn wheel 8, lever 15 and Theratchet wheel lfbrated disc 20 which carrie. contacts with a pin 0 pushit downward and op will appear from the actien c which is as follows:

The electric current passing resistance coil (10)., will cans the core.The longitudinai mo imparted to the core in expanr the pin 17 an? theratchet arm.

action of the spring (14). The last part of the movement, due to theexpanslon of the core will throw the rocker lever (15) into a positionso as to break the electrical. connection between the contact point (18)and the contact screw (19), which breaks "the electrical connection ofthe resi stance coil (10) and permits the core to'cool and contract to aposition where the ratchet arm will engage with the next tooth of theratchet wheel 8. The latter part of this function will cause a secondengagement between the pin (17) and the forked end of the rocker lever(15), which will throw the rocker lever to the opposite position whereinelectrical connection will'be made between the contact point (18) andthe contact screw (19). This cycle of operation will be repeated at timeintervals depending upon the coeflicient of expansion ofthe-materialused in the core and the intensity of the electrical current passin Ithrough the resistance coil (10) The length of time required for onecomplete cycle of operation may be calibrated on the'disc (20), Fig. 3graduated in such a way as to ShOW the time in minutes if so desired toreturn the pin (21) to a position of engagement with the pin (22). Thepin- (21) is fixed to the disc (20). The pin (22) is mounted upontheswitch plunger (2) and engagement between these pins will cause theswitch plunger to be thrown to the 01? position, at which timeelectrical connection to the accessory or attachment-controlled. and theelectricalmechanism included in the device, will be broken as shown inFig. 1. I

I There are, as stated, two circuits, a main circuit and an auxiliarycircuit shunted across the main circuit. The main circuit consists ofthe wire 30 to 31 back thru 32 to the plunger contact 6 and 7 up theplunger to 33 and out. The auxiliary circuit follows wire 30 thru theresistance coil 10, to the consaid auxiliary circuit, a lever actuatedby said thermal member for periodically interrupting said auxiliarycircuit, a resilient member for further actuating said lever and forholding the same in a make and break position relative to said contactmember and means actuated by the thermal member for controlling the mainswitch.

2. An automatic control for electrical devices comprising-a main circuitand a switch therein, an auxiliary circuit shunted across said maincircuit containing means for periodically interrupting said auxiliarycircuit, means actuated by the interrupting means for actuating saidmain switch, and resilient means for further actuating the switch andfor holding it positively in an open or closed position.

3. An automatic control for electrical-"dew.

vices comprising a main circuit and a switch g thereln, an auxiharycircuit shunted across said main circuit, a thermal member of a definiteexpansion coeficient efiected by said auxiliary circuit, a leveractuated by said thermal member, means for further increasing themovement of said lever whereby the auxiliary circuit is periodicallyinterrupted and means actuated as a result of the said interruptionwhereby the main switch is actuate Y In testimony whereof we aflix oursignatures.

ROBERT KAUOH. CHARLES L. PAULUS.

tact screw 19, thru 18 to the spring 16, over thru 34 to 33 and out.

While we have described and shown in the annexed drawings a very simpleand eflicient embodiment of our invention, it is within the scope ofthis invention to change the mechanical details, without limitingourselves to the specific mechanical combinations disclosed. It is alsowithin the scope of this invention to reverse the whole operation forthe purpose of closing the main switch rather than opening it. Otheruses and rearrangements of the parts might be suggested, but the scopeof this invention will appear from the fol-. lowing claims:

We claim:

1. An automatic control for electrical devices comprising a main circuitand a switch therein, a contact member, an auxiliary circuit shuntedacross said main circuit and connected to said member, a thermal memberof definite expansion coeificient efiected by

